Stocking and method of making the same



A118- 22, 1939- H. E. HousEMAN 2,170,078

STOCKING AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Jan. 5, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l Aug 22; 1939- H. E. Housl-:MAN 2,170,078

STOCKING AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAIE Filed Jan. 5, 1939 s Asimens-sheet 2 Aug. 22, 1939. ||A E. HousEMAN v2,170,073

I STOCKING AND METHOD OF MAKING' THE SAME Filed Jan. 5, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 `i wx memes 22 1939 I UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE y .Harold E. Bouwman, LaconiafN.v H., assigner to -Scott & WillamsLIncorporated, Laconial, N. H., 'a corporation of Massachusetts Application' january '5,

This invention relates to 'a stocking and method. of making the same, 'and has particular reference to a type having its foot portion more closely approaching a right angle with its leg portion than stockings generally manufactured heretofore and having patterns in its leg portion, the leg portion being knit integrally with its foot portion.

vAs disclosed in the patents to E. A. Hirner Nos. 1,154,116 and 1,549,307, it is possible by the inclusion of extra fabric at the bottom of the foot portion of a stocking to cause the foot portion as a. whole to extend at an angle approaching a right angle with respect to the leg. .This stocking provides a much better fit on the foot of the wearer than most conventional formsof stockings, this being 4particularly noticeable in the absence of creases over the instep due in the ordinary stocking to the fact that the foot tends to force the foot portion of the stocking more closely toward a right angle with the leggportion than is the case inthe stocking before it is put lon the foot. Additionally, with a stocking of the Hirner type, a pull exerted on the top of a stocking, for example, by a garter, does not tend to tighten the stocking aboutthe toe', but the pull is absorbed by the instep withr resulting greater 'comfortto the wearer when the stockings are pulled tight. Wear at the toes is also reduced.

As disclosed in said Hirner patents, the stocking is one involving plain 4knitting throughout. In the event that it was desired to provide a patterned leg, for example, carrying designs formed by reverse plating or floating or having structural features such as ribs, it was heretofore necessary to proin'de aleg at the lower end of which were provided transfer stitches to be stitched to the upper end of a separate foot portion formed in accordance with the principles described in the Hirner patents. Such transfer stitches are invariably larger than the normal stitches running through both the leg and the foot, therefore pro- Viding anunsightly junction between the leg and the foot, and also impairing the strength of the stocking.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a stocking and method for producing the same in which a leg portion having structural or e colored patterning as, for example, ribs, -is knit integrally with a foot having the characteristics disclosed in saidHirner patents. By reason oi' such integral knitting of the leg portion with the foot portion, the objectionable looped junction is eliminated and a product superior in both appearance and strength secured.

A further object of the inlfntion S t0 provide 1'939, ASerial N0. 249,525 (Ol. '185) specifically a stocking' in which the leg formation extends through the instep and even more specifically extends belowthe point to which the characteristic added gore of the Hirner type of construction extends.

Even more specifically, it Vis the object of the present invention to provide a .stocking and method of making the same lin which continuous ribs extend from the leg through the instep and 4in which certain ribs which are interrupted due toy the inclusion of the Hirner gore are continued through the instep following the formation of said gore.

'I'he improved method particularly involves the formation of such a stocking on a type of machine having superposed cylinders between which selective transfer of needles takes place for transitions between stitched portions of the stocking containing various formations of loops.

'Ihe above objects of the invention and other objectswhich more particularly relate toA details of the invention will become apparent from the following description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of a preferred form of stocking constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating in developed form the inner surfaces of various cams of a double cylinder type of machine adapted for the formation of the improved stock- 111g;

Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement in the machine of various needle controlling sliders carrying'knitting andl transfer butts;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through the cylinders of a double cylinder type of machine illustrating in` fragmentary form the fashion in which transfer of needles is accomplished;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the dividing cam taking part in the needle transfer; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the lower part of the leg and the foot portion of an alternative type of stocking formed in accordance with the invention.

'Referring first to Figure 1, there is illustrated therein a preferred type of stocking formed in accordance with the invention and to which the disclosure of the method described herein is made specifically applicable. This stocking comprises a welt 2 which, as pointed out later, comprises a series 4of courses surmounting a rib top 4 in which a vconventional 1 x 1 rib arrangement may ,be embodied, which `rib top in turn surmounts a 'broad rib type or 6x3 rib construction. The

plain stitched portions 8 are six wales wide, while the depressed ribs I0 are three wales wide, the ribs being due, as is usual, to the reverse fashions in which the loops of the contrasting fabric portions are interlinked'.

At the lower end of the leg portion 6 there are.

several rounds, indicated at I2, which contain plain knitting except for the ribs at the upper portion of the instep,l indicated vat I4. Below these rounds the heel, consisting of narrowed and widened portions I6 and I8, respectively, is formed and in front of' this is the widened gore 20 followed by the narrowed gore 28, providing extra fabric characteristic of the foot of the Hirner type stocking. Such arrangement of the gores yis speciiically illustrated in Figure II of Hirner Patent 1,549,307, referred to above.

Following the narrowed gore 26 are a series of courses indicated at 28, and corresponding to the courses indicated at I2 in that they involve plain knitting except for the rib formation continuing the several ribs'which were knit in the courses I2 at I4. (The lines shown in the drawing extending across the arch are merely to illustrate.

knitting zones; no visible lines are actually present in the stocking.) v

Following the courses 28 is the foot proper in the upper portion'of which the ribs formed at I4 are continued as at 30. Through this foot portion there are also continued several ribs indicated at 32 forming, in effect, a continuation of` ribs in the leg which are interrupted by the high portions of the gores 20 and 26, providing the Hirner foo-t.

The foot is iinished with the usual ring toe 34,

the toe proper comprising the narrowed and' widened portions 36 and 38, respectively, and the loopers rounds indicated at 40 where the stitching takes place to iinish the toe of the stocking.

Before discussing the variations of this stocking within the scope of the invention, there will be first des-cribed the method of its formation upon the double cylinder type of machine commonly used for the production of the so-called English broad rib, This machineis of the wellknown Bentley type, as illustrated for example, in Spiers Patent 1,210,866, dated January 2, 1917 and Bentley Patent 1,713,736, dated May 21, 1929. In order to better indicate how the improved stocking is formed, so much of the Bentley machine is illustrated herein in diagrammatic fashion as to show the essential changes in the conventional machine required for carrying out the improved method to produce the stocking illustrated in Figure 1.

Referring rst to Figure 4, there are illustrated therein, the lower cylinder 42 and upper cylinder 44 of a Bentley machine. These cylinders, which are driven in unison, during both rotation and reciprocation,` are provided with aligned slots in their exterior surfaces within which are adapted to slide double ended needles indicated at 46 having upper and lower hooks 48 and 50, respectively with cooperating latches.

Also slidable within the slots, but remaining in their respective cylinders, are upper sliders 52 and lower sliders 54, which are held in position by v spring bands not illustrated. The uppersliders 52 carry transfer butts, indicated at 56 and knitting butts indicated at 58, while the lower sliders carry transfer butts indicated at 60 and connected to the sliders to move through their proper knitting waves.

Sinkers of conventional type, indicated at 64, serve to cooperate with the needles in the usual fashion for the formation of stitches.

In order to control the sliders for the proper transfer of the needles, there is provided at the height of the separation between the cylinders, a separating cam 66 which, consideringthe direction of motion indicated by the arrow in Figure 5, includes a slot having successive cam surfaces providing a level portion indicated at 68, a rise l0, a high portion at 'I2 followedby a drop, another level portion A'|4, a second rise at I6 and a high portion at 18. 'I'he operation of this cam Will be described presently.

The cams cooperating with `the various knitting and transfer butts of the sliders are illustrated -in developed form in Figure 2. These cams comprise a cam provided with a rise 82 adapted to engage the knitting butts of the lower sliders and cause the needles which they engage to rise so that the loops they carry will clear their latches. A stitch cam 86, a center cam 88 and a' second stitch cam 90 are associated to .cause the lower sliders to move needles through aconventional knitting wave. Raising cams 92 and 94 are Iprovided which are, respectively, operative during forward rotation and forward reciprocations and backward reciprocations. Raising pickers 86 and 88, of conventional spring controlled type, are lo-I cated in the vicinity of these various cams. A guard cam 84 is provided to insure proper motions of the needles after the rise 82 during forward knitting.

The lowering picker |00, which is spring controlled for its operation in conventional fashion, but also adapted for additional control so as to come into operation only at proper times, is arranged to have an inoperative position above the inactive level of the knitting' butts of the lower sliders and is located between guard cams as illustrated. It is unnecessary to go into detail with respect to these various cams, sincethey perform their usual functions in rotary and reciprocatory knitting, acting on the knitting butts of the lower sliders -to properly control the needles which they engage.

The knitting butts lof the upper sliders are also adapted to be properly controlled for knitting when the cylinders are moved in `a forward direction, no provision being made for knitting during backward reciprocations because the needles in the upper cylinder need not form stitches at such times. A latch clearing cam |02 is provided, this cam being mounted so as to be slidable toward and from the needle cylinder'under control of the main pattern drum of the machine. Following this is ya cam |03, designed to hold the upper .sliders in lower position, followed by a cam |04,

65 needlesfrom one cylinder to the other.

cam, Lcausing the upper hook of the needle to A lower transfer cam is provided at IIZ, thisA on the lower sliders, engage long transfer butts thereon, or engage the long and short transfer butts thereon.

Similarly, an upper transfer cam I|4 is provided, also arranged to be controlled through a suitable lever, not shown, by means of cams on the pattern drum of the machine so as to occupy any one of vve alternative positions to miss all pattern butts carried by the upper sliders or to engage successively butts of different lengths as will be presently described. AFollowing the cam I|2 is a cam I|6 adapted to move` the lower sliders downwardly after they are rai/sed by cam 'I I2 and-a similar cam 'H84 followingpam ||4 is adapted to raise the upper sliders after they are lowered by cam ||4. It will be noted that the cams |I2, ||6, ||4 and I|8 are arranged in se' quence so that rise under the action of cam |'I2 an'd lowering under the action of cam ||6 of the v lower sliders is immediately followed by the lowering under the action of the cam |I4J, and the rise under the action of cam ||8 of upper sliders. For the purpose of raising lower sliders having long knitting butts into an inoperative position .'30 during the formation ofthe heel and toe, there is provided a cam |22 which is located in a position to engage long butts only and Awhich is yarranged to slide under the actionof controlling means ina' vertical direction so as to be located either at a level substantially that of the top of cam 80 or a higher lever to raise the long butts as specified. y,

For the 'purpose of restoring lower sliders t0 action, there is provided a cam |20 located above 40 the cam |22. In the conventional machine, the

cam |20 is mounted on the same slide as the cam 22. In the present case, however, a differential action is required and consequently the cam |20 is located at a fixed level, but is arranged to be y moved inwardly and outwardly under the control of the pattern mechanism of the machine so-as to occupy either one of two alternative positions, i. e., an outer position in which it does not engage any knitting butts and an inner position in which Pit may engage both long and short knitting butts.

rlhe cams .which were not heretofore mentionedV as being capable of adjustable positioning are, in general, xed, but it will be understood that, with due regard to the necessary cam arrangements lfor performing the desired results, the various cams maybe made adjustable and additional controlling mechanisms added to produce variations as desired for the formation, for example, k of special heel, foot and toe structures. In viewJ of the state of the art, however, these changes will be clear to machine designers.

Before referring Specificallyto the formation of the stocking of Figure 1, reference may be made to the operations incident to) transfer of The operations involved in suchl transfer may be best made clear by reference to Figures 4 and 5.

Assuming, for example, that a certain needle 46 is in the lower cylinder, andhas its hookengaged by a lower slider SLC/and is to be transferred to the upper cylinder, the upper slider will have been depressed by cam |02 to a needle receiving position, its knitting butt moving below the 'cam |03. When the lower-slider 54 reaches ,5 the cam H2, its transfer butt so will ride up this enter the engaging opening in the upper slider 52. At the same time, the upper end of the lower.

`and the high portion 'I2 of the cam 66 so as to be disengaged from the lower hook of the needle. While such disengagement is effective the cam I|6 engages the transfer butt of the lower slider and pulls the slider downwardly. As the slider is releasedby the portion 'I2 of the cam 66, it will move back against the hook of the needle, but with its engaging portion below the hook so that it may slide downwardly independently of the' needle which it has released. Thus the needle is left under the control of the upper slider.

The reversev transfer from the upper slider to the lower one takes place in the same fashion, the cams |I4 and IIB being now effective to move theupper slider downwardly and then upwardly, the slider engaging on its downward movement the portion 14 of the cam 66 and being disengaged fromthe needle by the surfaces I6 and 18. v

The cams ||2,and ||4 may be active at different times, or may be simultaneously active to effect a double transfer in a single course involving the'location of certain needles in the. upper cylinder followed by either' immediate return of some ofthe needles so raised or of other 'needles to the lower cylinder. The slight angular displacement between the cams I|2 and ||4 permits such action to take place.

Passing now to a consideration of thespecific formationof the stocking of Figure 1, reference I may be made to the butt set-up diagramm'ed in Figure 3. In this diagram there are illustrated 'in conventionalized form the upper and lower sliders, indicated by the vertical lines in the upper and lower portions of this figure, adjacent the knitting butt series of lower sliders. It maysbe assumed, for example, that the machineis of a' `type carrying two hundred needles. The numsliders. Long knitting butts of the lower sliders are indicated at |26 and short knitting butts at |28. o

The knitting butts `of the upper sliders arealso long and short, as indicated at |30 and |32, respectively, but only for the purpose of facilitating the entry of cams, and for this purpose the line of demarcation between the-sliders is not at |24, but isv displaced into the sole needlepseries, as indicated in the figure.

- So far as transfer butts are concerned, the lower sliders are of three classes.` First there' are sliders |34 which contain no transfer butts, these 'sliders remaining always in the lower cylinder line of' separation |24 between the long and short 'iss CFI

the sliders having short transfer butts being interspersed in a regular fashion, as will be obvious from discussion of the knitting.

In the upper cylinder, besides the sliders |40 which carry no transfer butts, there are sliders carrying transfer butts of four lengths, indicated at |42, |44, |46 and |48, respectively. The arrangement of these various sliders will be evident from the discussion of the operation of the machine. For convenience of reference, there are indicated in the central portion of the figure the groups of sliders corresponding to the needles which form plain and rib stitches during the prof duction of the leg. However, this diagram does not hold except for the leg, since during the formation of the rib top every other needle is in the upper cylinder and forms rib stitches, while the intermediate needles are in the lower cylinder and form plain stitches. Similarly, during the formation of the heel, foot and toe portions, plain fabric is knit on many of the needles which form rib stitches in the leg.

In the operation of the machine to form the stocking of Figure 1, all of the needles following the formation of the previous stocking, will be in the lower cylinder engaged by the lower slid-- ers. At this time, cam |02 will be in its active position to engage the knitting butts of all the upper sliders and cause them to pass beneath the cam |03. The rst course or courses may then be knit as plain courses, the needles being controlled by the lower sliders, the knitting butts 62 of which will pass up the clearing cam surface -82 of thecam 80 and will then be depressed slightly by cam 86 to move up over stitch cam 86 belowcenter cam 88 and below stitch cam 90'to take the yarn, being then raised by cam 92 to the level of the approach to cam 82.

In order to form a welt 2 and provide for the knitting of the 1 x 1 rib top, the rst transfer of the needles occurs.

It will be noted that every other one of the lower sliders is provided with a long transfer butt |38. To effect the transfer, the transfer cam l2 is moved inward so as to engage only the long butts |38 and miss the short butts |36. By reason of this action, and. the cooperation of the cam 66 with the upper ends of the sliders, as heretofore described, the needles will be transferred from those lower sliders carrying the long butts |38 to the corresponding upper sliders which nowr have-their knitting butts moving below the cam |03. As the knitting butts of Athe upper sliders pass upwardly over cam |08, the needles thus transferred will take yarn as well as those needles which remain in the lower cylinder, and consequently a course having a 1 X l rib will be provided. As soon as the transfer is completed, the cam f|02 is withdrawn, `whereupon the needles in the upper cylinder will not be caused to move downwardly so that the loops clear their latches and the knitting butts of the upper sliders will move directly from |0| through the groove |0 to be raised slightly by the cam |08 and then reenter the groove |0|. As a result, these needles do not take yarn, while the yarn feeds normally to the needlesy remaining in the low cylinder. Thus there may be produced a few courses duringwhich loops are held on the needles in the lupper cylinder. The result is knitting of the welt l2.

It may be pointed out here that during all phases of the operation, sliders which do not carry needles pass idly through the knitting wavesalong withA those which do control needles. The knitting of the rib top 4 may then be begun plain stitched parts 8 and ribs I0. `is moved all the way in to engage the transfer merely by permitting the cam v|02 to move into its active position, this operation taking place in steps by having it rst move inwardly as the short knitting butts |32 of the upper sliders are passing it, -and it will move to its full inward position as soon as it is cleared by these short butts and depresses the long butts |30. By the action of cam |02, the loops of the upper cylinder needles are caused to clear their latches. The path of the knitting butts of the upper sliders will then be belowv cam |02,.below |03, above |04, |06 and |08, during passage by the last of which the needles take yarn, thence into the groove |0| to be'again lowered by the clearing cam |02. At the same time the needles of the lower cylinder are passing through the knitting wave previously described. Accordingly, the 1 X 1 rib structure of the top is knit.

The second transfer now takes place in passing from the 1 X 1 rib top to the 6 X 3 rib leg 6 having The cam ||2 butts of all of the lower sliders. The transfer cam I4 is moved inward so as to engage only the longest transfer butts |42 of ythe upper sliders. Accordingly, a double transfer occurs. As the lower sliders ride up the cam ||2, all of the needles remaining in the lower cylinder and engaged by sliders having transfer butts |36 are transferred to the upper cylinder. (The needles corresponding to sliders having butts |38 are already in the upper cylinder.) Immediately, however, the longest butts of theupper sliders are engaged by the transfer cam ||4 and consequently the needles corresponding to such upper sliders are transferred to the lower cylinder. Study of Figure 3 will reveal'that this action will result in having in the lower cylinder groups of six needles with intermediate groups of three needles, each, in-the upper cylinder. The continued knitting, therefore, will result in the production of the 6 X 3 rib leg which is illustrated. At this point it may be noted, as pointed out above, that by `more elaborate 4control of thetransfer, particularly when a plurality of yarns are being fed to the needles toproduce plating, there can be produced qiite'elaborate designs. It will be understood, therefore, that the reference to 6 X 3 rib at this point and in connection with the further discussions of the rib areas is only for purposes of illustration and that there is possible greatl latitude of variation in the production of structural and design modifications.

Knitting under the conditions just mentioned will continue until the point'of change to the several rounds indicated at |2 preceding the knitting of the heel. At the point of change to these rounds of knitting, the upper transfer cam |`|4 is moved inward toan extent to' engage transfer butts of the three longest lengths of the upper sliders, i. e., butts |42, |44 and |46. It will be noted from the diagram of Figure 3 that such butts occur on the upper sliders corresponding to the sole needles as well as on the sliders corresponding to the two panels on each 4side of the sole series of needles within the instep series.

The needles belonging to those upper sliders whichl carry long transfer butts will have already been transferred to the lower cylinder, and accordingly the positioning of the transfer cam I4 just mentioned will result in the transfer of the needles engaged by the sliders having transfer butts |44 and |46. Thus as knitting continues, plain fabric Will be knit on all of the sole needles as well as on thoseA instep needles which include the two rib forming panels on-either side of thel sole series, i. e., the 22 needles on each side indicated at the left of the line |24'in Figure 3. AtY the same time, the 6 x 3 rib knitting will continue on the other instep needles to give the, resulting ribs indicated at I4 in Figure 1.

Following the formation of several courses at this point control is effected to begin the knitting of the heel. For this purpose, the cam |20 is withdrawn and the cam |22 raised to engage the long knitting butts of the lower sliders. By this engage and elevate the short butt needles one at a time at each end of the short butt series. The narrowing now continues forming the portion I6 of the heel pocket until there remain in action only those needles at the narrowest point of the heel.

l 'I'he widening now takes place to form the portion I8 of the heel pocket and is effected by permitting the lowering picker to come into' action'. The lowering of the needles takes place in conventional fashion, two needles being lowered and one raised at each reciprocation on each end of the series of needles in action. Insmuch` as th`e cam |22 must be lowered out of its active position so that it will notraise long butt needles fwhen they are later picked down into action, it is convenient to provide that this cam |22 will be lowered at the same time as the lowering picker is rendered active.

The lowering of the short butt sliders and their /f needles now takes place for the formation of the widened part I8 of the heel pocket. Instead of stopping the lowering ofthe needles, however, at the ends of the short butt series of sliders, the picking action `for widening is continued for the formation of the widened heel extension 20, long butt sliders and their needles being lowered one by one by the same type of double lowering and single raisingf operations as was carried out on the short butt sliders. It is at this time that the lowering of the cam |22becomes necessary,

.since otherwise it would raise immediately any long butt slider which was picked down. A

By reason of` this action, there is provided a suture along the line 22 terminating at some point such as 24 short of the loops on the needles carried by the upper cylinder.

In the preferred form of this invention there is formed still another narrowed extension 26, 'which is provided by rendering the lowering picker |00 inactive so that needles corresponding to the log butt sliders are picked up one by one at each end'of the series of active needles resulting in a further narrowing. 'Ihis narrowingmay be continued if desired into the short butt series of sliders to produce the desired formation in front of the heel.

Durlnggthe reciprocatory knitting just described, since more than half the needles are rendered active for reciprocatory knitting, it is necessary to provide asuiiciently increased range of reciprocation to insure that proper knitting short knitting butt -series of sliders.

and picking will take place. This is, of course, readily accomplished by increasing the throw of the conventional devices for imparting reciprocation to the cylinders.

With the completion of the portion 26 of the stocking, rotary knitting is again resumed to form the rounds indicated at 28. To effect this, the cam |20 is again moved into action to lower all of the long butt lower slidersv and such short butt sliders as might have been raised in the event that the narrowing proceeded into that series, and the cam |04 is restored to itsoperative position to cause the upper sliders to pass4 through their proper knitting wave.v As a result, knitting takes place in the rounds 28 in the same fashion as occurred in the formation of the rounds |2, i. e., the ribs |4 are continued through the rounds 28. In order to continue now the 6 X 3 rib knitting in the instep of the stocking, and in the regions below the point 24, a transfer of needles is again required. This involves a double transfer of the type previously indicated. The cam l i2 is moved to a sufficient extent inward to raise all of the lower sliders carrying transfer butts. At the same time, the cam H4 is moved suiiiciently inwardly to engage the transfer butts |42 and |44 of the two longest lengths carried by upper sliders with the result that, in addition to the needles already in the upper cylinder there will be loca'ted in that `cylinder thoseneedles engaged by sliders having transfer butts |46 which, in the modification here described, includes two Isets on each side of the These sets of needles form the ribs 32 as the knitting contlnues in the upper portion, the upper ribs 30 resulting from the actionof those needles which v vwere continuously in the upper cylinder from the f In order to form the ring toe 34, the transfer cam ||4 is moved all the way in .so as to effect the lowe Lof all the needles'in the upper cylinder to the lower cylinder. Plain knitting thus takes. place which is followed by narrowing through portion 36 and widening through portion 38 for the formation of the toe carried out in the fashion described for the formation of the heel. Following this vthere may be provided by the usual rotary knitting in obvious fashion the formation 'of the loopers rounds 40 at which stitching later takes place to complete the stocking. Thus the stocking is completed with all of the needles in the lower cylinder ready for the knitting of the welt 2 of a succeeding stocking.

I [t will be obvious that a minor variation of the above may be used to form the type of foot illustrated in Hirner Patent 1,154,116, namely, a foot vwhich does not have the narrowed gore 26. For the formation of such foot it is, of course, only necessary to omit those operations which give rise to that gore and proceed with the formation of the rounds 28 immediately following the formation of the gore 20.

A third type of Hirner foot, illustrated in-,Figure 1 of Hirner Patent 1,549,307, is illustrated in Figure 6, from which its mode vof formation will be readily apparent in view of the discussion of the machine operation advanced heretofore. The leg of this stocking is illustrated at and is produced in the same fashion as the leg 6 of the modification of Figure 1. Likewise, the

.rounds |52 are produced in similar fashion.

` of the portion ISU. Following this; widening may take place into the long knitting butt series of lower sliders to form the portion l6l corresponding to 2t of Figure 1, the widening taking place to the point l62. At this point, the long knitting butt series of sliders may be removed from action by the rise of cam lZZ which is immediately thereafter relowered. Widening is thereupon resumed from the points ltli at the separation of the sole and instep needles to produce a suture between ltd and lE on each side. During this widening the portion ldl is formed, adding excess fabric at the bottom of the stocking and providing for the turn of the foot in much the same fashion as the narrowed gore 2t in the previous modification. Following the completion of this widening operation, and without subsequent narrowing, operations are performed to provide the rounds E68 which correspond to the rounds 2t of the modification of Figure 1, and thereafter the operations are precisely the same as those in connection with the formation of Fig-- ure 1. The various ribs above the point lliZ are continued as indicated at ld through both the rounds it and ldd and following the formation of the rounds les the additional ribs may be added corresponding to those indicated at 32 in Figure l..

One of the most evident modifications of the product and methodwill be the formation of more elaborate Adesigns than those secured by the mere formation of ribs running through the .leg and instep. The 6 x 3 rib construction has been described as typical and involves no transfers of needles except in the regions of demarcation between different portions of the stocking. However, needles may be transferred from course to, course in the well known fashions to produce what amount to various .areas of plain and rib stitches, i. e., concatenations of the loops which involve passage through previously formed loops of other loops in selective opposite directions. Such patterns are, of course, produced by more elaborate control of the transfer operations and are secured by suitable set-ups of the transfer butts .on both the upper and lower sliders with corresponding controls of the transfer cams.

For more elaborate control, it will be obvious that k.the sliders can be associated with jacks having butts at dierent levels cooperating with pattern controlling cams. Suchdesigns as well as ribs of the type specifically disclosed are character-1 ized bythe selective reverse concatenation of the loops. y

Suchpatterns can be produced while feeding a single yarn to the needles. I In the case; however, of the feeding of several yarns plating and reverse plating will occur in well knownv fashion, normal plating occurring in those loops which are formed bythe needles in the lower cylinder and reverse plating will occur in those loops formed lay-'needles in the upper cylinder. Selective float- -ing may also be secured in well known fashions to produce quite elaborate designs in the leg and instep and running through wales corresponding, for example, to those containing the ribs 32 of Figure 1, i. e., below the uppermost limits of the added gores involved in the formation of the Hirner type of foot. Wrapping may, of course, be accomplished in conventional fashion.

In addition to such patterning in the leg and instep, the foot itself is susceptible of variations consistent with the improvements of the invention. For example, the foot may be of the true split type or the rotary split" foot type. Elastic yarn may be knit into the arch portion either alone or in conjunction with anon-elastic yarn and right and left toes may be knit in accordance,

for example, with the disclosure of the patent to Barr 1,160,819. It will beclear that all such variations may vloe provided consistently with the improvements to which this invention relates.

Mention may be made of the fact that if desired the foot may be formed by knitting the heel and arch on needles controlled by short knitting butt sliders only, thereby avoiding the necessity for increasing the stroke or throw of the needle cylinder. For example, by beginning knitting of the heel with all of the long butt sliders, and, say, ten of the short butt sliders on either end elevated, twenty-eight needles might be picked up, after which .thirty-eight needles, or in other words, all of the needles controlled by short butt sliders may be picked down, following which ten of these may be again picked up. However, this entails some reduction of the amount of fabric in the sole portion, which fabric contributes to the turn of the foot, and is, therefore, not so desirable as the modifications previously described.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: a

1. A knitted stocking comprising integrally knitted leg, heel and foot portions with a gore formed by reciprocatory knitting located between the heel and foot portions and extending above the heel portion, the leg and instep part of the knitted leg, heel and foot portions with a gore formed by 'reciprocatory knitting located between the heel and foot portions and extending above the heel portion, knitting wales extending continuously from the leg portion into the instep part of the foot portion above said gore, said leg and instep part of the foot portion being provided with' design structure comprising selectively reversely concatenated loops, the design structure extending in the instep below the top of saidv gore.

3. A knitted stocking comprising integrally Iknitted' leg, heel and foot portions with a gore Vformed by reciprocatory knitting located between the heel and foot portions and extendingabove the heel portion; knitting wales extending continuously from the leg portion into the instep part of the foot portion above said gore, and said leg and instep part of the footportion being provided with longitudinally extending ribs, the ribs being located both above and below the top of said gore.

4. A knitted stocking comprising integrally -knitted leg, heel and foot portions with a gore yarn with loops formed during the last course.

of rotary knitting of the front of the stocking, and, following the completion of said gore, start- -ing formation of a foot portion by concatenating loops with those with which yarn was not interknit during the reciprocatory knitting, and selectively reversely concatenating loops to produce a rib structure in the instep part of the 'foot portion extending below the top of said gore as a continuation of the rib structure of the leg portion.

6. The method ofpcircularly knitting a stocking comprising knitting a leg portion by rotary knitting, forming a heel portion by reciprocatory knitting, forming a gore extending above the heel portion in front of the heel portion by reciprocatory knitting, during the reciprocatory knitting failing' to interknit yarn with loops formed during the last course of rotary knitting of the front of the stocking, and following the completion of said gore starting formation of a foot portion by concatenating' loops with those with which yarn was not interknit during the reciprocatory knitting, the formation oi the leg portion and said foot portion including the production of longitudinally extending ribs some of which extend without interruption from the vleg into the foot while others are interrupted by the top of said COTO.

HAROLD E. HOUSEMAN. 

